Windshield wiper motor



Nov. 18, 1941. E. KOPPELMAN WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 27, 1941 x www W A V W Y 0 3 0 94m. 4% 4 c w. 3 5 Ab 0 .w N m 1 Q Z M W F 5 /fi :M j JAM. 5 5@ 1T3 KMOO l L 5 17% E 1 2 I 6 I t m .WI/IL" I ED WARD KOPPEL MAN NOV. 18, 1941. KOPPELMAN I 2,263,003

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR Filed Jan. 27, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I /04 Mi 3 60 65 i 3.4

ED 14/41 917 [@PPELMAN Patented Nov. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,263,003 WINDSHIELD WIPEB. MOTOR I Edward Koppelman, Colchester, Conn. Application January 27, 1941, Serial No. 376,060

18 Claims.

The present invention relates to fluid operated motors and more particularly to a fluid operated motor of the type utilized for the operation of windshield wipers.

The object of the present invention is to provide improved starting, stopping, and speed control means and wherein said starting and stopping is controlled by manipulation of the valve for alternately connecting the opposite ends of the motor to sources of suction.

Another object is to provide means whereby the valve may be manipulated to start and stop the motor without arresting the operation of the valve and thus permitting the wiper carrying arm to be oscillated independently of the operation of the motor without in any way damaging the valve structure. In the embodiment-illustrated in the present application the starting, stopping and control means are shown in conjunction with a motor of the type shown in the copending application of Harold W. White, Serial No. 376,038, filed on even date herewith.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a motor embodying the invention herein;

Fig. 2 is a front view with the casing in section to show the details of construction;

Fig. 3 is a view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view with the casing partly in section and showing the motor'in stop position;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the valve moved to operative position;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form showing means for controlling the speed of the motor;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front view partly in section to show the means for controlling the speed of the motor; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary .view showing the mechanical latching means for latching the piston in parked position.

Referring to the drawings, the motor comprises generally a casing A having therein a reciprocating piston B, a valve C for alternately connecting the opposite ends of the casing to the source of fluid pressure for operating the piston,

valve actuating means D, and starting, stopping, and speed control means E.

More particularly, the casing A comprises opposed piston chambers 10 and I2 connected together by complementary front and rear members l4 and I6. The front and rear members It and I6 define therebetween a valve guideway,

in which guideway the valve is adapted to be oscillated .on the inner face of the front member M, which face constitutes a valve seat 20. The valve seat 20 is provided with three ports 22, 24, and 26. The central port 22 connects through a passage 28 to a passage 30 provided in the top wall of the piston chamber l0; the latter passage being open at its outer end and adapted to be connected to a source of motivating fluid such as the suction of an automobile engine. The right port 24 connects through a passage 32 to a passage 34 also provided in the top wall of the piston chamber l0 and beingconnected at its outer end through an opening 36 to the interior of the piston chamber. In like manner, the left port 26 connects through a passage 38 to a passage 40 provided. in the top wall of the piston chamber l2; the latter passage connecting at its outer end through an opening 42 into the piston chamber.

In order to alternately connect the central passage 22 with either of the other passages, the valve C comprises a cup-shaped member 44 having a wide peripheral face 46 adapted to abut against the valve seat 20. The width of the face 46 is such that when the valve is in one of its positions (see Fig. 4) it will cover and close off the ,suction port 22; the purposes of this being hereinafter apparent; whereas the diameter of the inner peripheral edge of the valve is such that when it is in another of its positions (see Fig. 5) it will connect the suction port with one of the other ports. As is well known in this type of motor, when one of the ports is connected to the suction port 22 the other port will admit atmospheric air, thus creating an atmospheric pressure on the corresponding end of the piston; suitable provision being made to admit atmospheric air within the casing; this being done in the present instance by providing a slight clearance between the complementary front and rear members I4 and IS.

The valve member 44 further includes a rearwardly extending stud for mounting the valve on an actuator arm 50, which arm is provided with an opening 52 intermediate of its ends for pivotally mounting same on the wiper actuating shaft 54. As best seen-in Fig. 3, the shaft 54 is p pivot.

pivotally mounted at its inner .end in a tubular bearing 56 provided on the inner face of the rear casing member I6, and the shaft then extends successively through the valve actuating arm 58, a sleeve 58, and a second sleeve 68 and carries on its outer end exterior of the motor a screw tip 6I for mounting a wiper arm thereon. The

sleeve 58 is secured to the shaft 54 and has integral therewith a gear segment 62, which segmentis provided with a pair of spaced stops 64 and 66. i

As indicated, the gear segment 62 is secured to the sleeve 58 forwardly of the valve actuator 58, and mounted on the sleeve intermediate of the valve actuating arm and the gear segment is an actuating spring 68. The spring 68 is formed with a coil 18 for pivotally mounting it on the sleeve 58 and spaced depending arms 12 and I4 which extend downwardly and are positioned between spaced fingers I6 and 18' provided on the valve actuating arm 58 beneath the pivot thereof;

For actuating the aforedescribed mechanism, the piston B comprises a pair of spaced piston members 88 and 82 each having a fiuidand airtight fit in their respective chambers and interconnected by a rack member 84. The rack member 84 is provided with spaced teeth 86 meshing withteeth 88 of the gear segment 62, whereby upon reciprocating motion of the piston the gear will be oscillated to oscillate the shaft 54. In turn, when the gear segment is oscillated, the spaced stops 64 and 66 will alternately engage the spaced legs of the spring 68 to place same undertension and oscillate the valve.

To prevent operation of the valve until the piston has completed a predetermined stroke, there is carried by the piston a holding member 98 which reciprocates therewith and moves in a path intersecting a restraining member 92 carried by the valveactuating arm 58 beneath the pivot of the latter.

With this construction, when the valve is in the position shown in Fig. connecting the center port 22 and the left port 26, the restraining member. 92 will be in the dotted position indicated in Fig. 2 just beneath the holding member 98, where, upon movement of the piston to the left, the holding member will move over and across the restraining member 92. Simultaneously, the pin 66 will likewise be oscillated until it engages the spring arm I4, whereupon it will tension 'the spring, tending to pivot the valve in a clockwise direction. Should the tension be sufiicient to overcome the vacuum lock on the valve, the restraining member 92 will pivot into engagement with the holding member 98 to pre. vent the movement of the valve until the piston has completed its stroke, whereupon the holding member will have moved out of the path of the restraining member 92, permitting the valve to Upon thispivot, the valve will then assume a position wherein the restraining member 92 isjust slightly above the holding member 98. With the exception of the valve member 44, the foregoing mechanism is fully described in the aforementioned copending application, and for other details of construction reference may be.

made thereto.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided means E for starting, stopping, and controlling the speed of the motor. Referring initially to the means for. starting and stopping the motor, it will be seen that the valve actuating arm 58 operates in the guideway I8 between a pair of stops 94 and 96. The stop 94 is fixed to the rear casing member I6; whereas the stop 96 is carried on the inner end of a horizontally arranged lever 98. The inner portion of the lever 98 is slidably mounted in a guide I88 provided in the rear casing member I6, and the outer end extends through an opening I82 fust above the top wall of the piston chamber I8. At its outer end the lever 98 is turned upwardly to provide a finger I M'receivable within a slot I86 cut in a trigger member I88. The trigger member is further provided with a second slot H8 which is parallel to the longitudinal axisthereof and permits the mounting of the trigger member over a square stud II2 secured on the top wall of the piston chamber I8. To hold the trigger member in place, there is also provided a top plate II4 overlying the trigger member and secured to the stud II2 by a screw II6.

As seen in Fig. 4, the slot H8 is of greater length than the stud II2, whereby upon pulling of the handle II8 of the trigger member the latter may be moved forwardly. To cooperate with this movement, the slot I86 is arranged at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis, whereby it will cam the finger I84.; to the right, simultaneously sliding the lever 98 to the right to move the stop 96 closer to the fixed stop 94.

When the stop 96 is at this latter position, as seen in Fig. 5, the valve 44 is so positioned that upon oscillation it will alternately connect the center port to one of the side ports, whereupon the motor will operate to oscillate the shaft 54 to operate the wiper arm carried thereby. However, when the trigger I88 is pushed inwardly, the stop 96 will be moved'to the position shown in Fig. 4 and the valve will assume the position shown therein, whereupon the peripheral face 46 will cover the suction port, closing off the suction from the motor and thus stopping the operation thereof.

In the construction shown, the. trigger I 88 may be operated at any time to move the stop 96' to the stop position, and the valvewill only move to this position at the completion of a piston stroke. This is due to the fact that the cooperating restraining member 92 and holding member 98 prevent the operation of the valve at an earlier time.

As best seen in Fig. 2, when the motor is' in stop position the restraining member will be beneath the holding member- 98, and to start the motor the trigger I88 is pulled outwardly, whereupon the stop 96 will move the valve to the position shown in Fig. 5 and start the operation of the motor. However, at this point the restraining member 92 will still lie beneath the holding member 98. If during the movement of the piston to the left the trigger is again forced in-. wardly to move the stop 96 away from the valve, the vacuum lock will hold the valve until the latter is oscillated clockwise to connect the center port 22 and the right port 24, whereupon the piston will complete its cycle by again moving to the right. However, upon the completion of-the stroke to the right, upon the restraining member 92 being released, the valve will overthrow beyond the normal limits of travel when operating and assume the position shown in Fig. 4, thus stopping the motor. In this manner, the motor will only stop when the piston has completed a stroke and the wiper is at the extremity of travel, and thus the wiper arm carried by the motor will be in parked position, and, due to the frictional resistance of the parts, the wiper arm will remain in this position. To hold the trigger mem- If such oscillation occurs, the valve will be operated in-the normal manner, and if the oscillation is stopped with the valve in either of its operative positions, the motor will simply continue to operate until a cycle has been completed and the valve is again overthrown to parked position. In the embodiment illustrated, this parked position is such that the wiper arm would likewise be'parked to the same side as the trigger;

it being obvious that by interchanging the movable and fixed stops the arm could be parked in the opposite position.

In order to control the speed of the motor, the suction passage is broken and provided with two vertical passages I24 and I26 leading to the top face of the top wall of chamber I0 (see Fig. 7). To cooperate with the passages I24 and I26, thebottom face of the trigger I08 has out therein a recess bypass I28. As seen in Fig. 6; the bypass I28 has side walls I32 and I34 which are parallel to one another for a portion of their length and then the side wall I32 tapers outwardly at I36 to increase the width of the bypass.

With this construction, when the trigger I08 is in parked position, the vertical passage I24 is partially covered-thus reducing the amount of fluid passing through the, suction port. As the trigger is pulled outwardly to move the valve to starting position, the opening of the suction passage does not increase, and thus the motor will operate at relatively slow speed. However, as the trigger is pulled further, the tapered wall I36 cuts across the passage I24, increasing the opening and thus allowing a greater flow of fluid to increase the speed of the motor. To assure that the stop 96 is not pulled beyond the position to obtain normal travel of the valve, the slot I06 is provided with 'an extension I38 having a wall I40 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the trigger, whereby once the finger I04 moves out of the slot the trigger will move relative to the finger without moving the finger.

In addition tothe foregoing, if desired, there may also be provided means, generally designated as I4I, operated by the trigger mechanism for positively latching the motor parts in parked position. These means comprise a lever I42 pivotally mounted on a stud I46 projecting'from the rear casing member I6. The lever I42 has its upper end projecting into an opening I48 in the stop 96 and extending laterally from its lower end is a spring lever I50. The free end of the lever I50 carries a depending pawl I56 having an outer sharp camming surface I58 and an inner slight camming surface I60. The pawl I56 is adapted to be received within an eyelet I62 extending from the left piston member 82.

With this construction, it will be seen that upon shifting of the trigger from parked to starting position, the levers I42 and I50 operate in unison as a bell crank to lift the pawl I56 out of the eyelet I62 and, upon reverse operation of the trigger, operate as a bell crank to position the pawl in the path of the eyelet. When so positioned, upon the piston reaching the end of its stroke the forward edge .of the eyelet will engage the camming surface I58 of the pawl I56 to pivot the lever I50 until it is in line with the eyelet opening; whereupon the resiliency of the metal will pivot the pawl into engagement within the eyelet and thus provide a mechanical latch for holding the parts in parkedposition; it being apparent that the latch operates automatically upon the piston moving to parked position. As previously indicated, the inner face of the pawl is provided with a slight camming surface I60, whereby if the wiper shaft arm should be oscillated without working the motor the latch will simply be cammed out of engagement to release the piston for free operation.

As manychanges could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, ,it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the genericand specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall ther'ebetween.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a motor of the character described, a valve seat having a center port and spaced'side ports,- a valve movable'on said valve seat between two set positions where it alternately connects the center port with one of said side ports, and to a third position where it closes off said center port, means for normally limiting movement of the valve to the two set positions, said last-named means being adjustable to permit the valve to move to said third position.

2. In a motor of the character described having a valve seat provided with a center port and spaced side ports, a valve movable on-said valve seat between two set positions where it alternately. connects said center port with one of said side ports, and to a third position where it disconnects said center port from both of said side ports, means normally limiting the movement of the valve between the two set positions, said last-named means being adjustable to permit the valve to move to the third position.

3. In a motor of the character described, a casing, a piston operable within the casing, said casing including a center suction passage and separate passages, one leading to each end of said piston, a valve movable between two set positions whereby it will alternately connect the suction passage with one of the other passages, and to a third position for disconnecting said suction passage from both of said other pas-- sages, means normally limiting the movement of the valve to' the positionwhere it alternately connects the suction passage with one of the. other passages, said last-named means being adjustable to permit the valve to move to said third position, and means operable by the piston for moving said valve to any of said positions.

, 4f In a motor of the character described, a casing, a piston operable within the casing, a valve seat having acenter suction passage and separate passages, one leading to each end of said piston, a valve movable between two set positions whereby it will alternately connect the suction passage with one of said other pasages,

and to a third positionior disconnecting said suction passage from both of said other passages, means normally limiting the movement of the valve to the position where it alternately connects the suction passage with one of the other passages, said last-named means being adjustable to'permit the valve to move to said third position, means within the casing for moving said valve to any of said positions, and means for restraining the movement of the valve to the third position prior to the completion of a stroke of the piston. l

5. In a motor of the character described, a casing, a piston operable within the casing, a suction passage and separate passages, one leading to each side of the piston, valve mechanism mounted in the casing, means normally limiting the movement of said valve mechanism to alter nately connect said suction passage with one of the other passages, said last-named means being adjustable whereby said valve will move to a position to disconnect said suction passage from both of said other passages, and means for operating said valve mechanism.

6. In a motor of the character described, a casing, a piston operable in the casing, a suction passage and separate passages, one leading to each side of the piston, valve mechanism within the casing, means for operating said valve mechanism, a pair of stop means within the casing for limiting the movement of said valve mechanism, whereby said suction passage will be alternately connected with one of the other passages, and means operable from the outside of the casing for moving one of said stop means whereby said valve will move to a position'to disconnect the suction passage from both of said other passages.

7. In a motor of the character described, a casing, a piston operable in the casing, a suction passage, and separate passages, one leading to each side of the piston, valve mechanism mounted position when the starting and stopping means is returned to its stop position.

' 9. In a motor of the character described, a casing, a piston operable in the casing, a suction passage and separate passages, one leading to each side of the piston, a valve within the casing, said valve having an inoperative position where it disconnects the suction passage from either of the other passages and an operative position where it connects the suction passage with one of the other passages, starting and. stopping means exterior of the casing and movable between a stop and start position, means interconnecting the starting and stopping means with said valve and operableupon shifting of the starting and stopping means to a start position' to move said valve from its inoperative position to its operative position, mechanism in the casing operative when the valve is in its operative position for moving the valve to alternately connect the suction passage to 'one of thepther pasin the casing, means for operating said valve i mechanism, means for limiting the, movement of I the valve mechanism whereby said valve alternately connects said suction passage to one of the other passages, said last-named means being adjustable whereby said valve may move to an overthrow position to disconnect said suction passage from each of said other passages, means for restraining the movement of the valve to said 1 overthrow position until the piston has completed a stroke, and means automatically operable upon movement otthe valve to said overthrow position for latching the piston against movement.

8. In a motor of the character described, a

. casing, a piston operable in the casing, a suction passage and separate passages, one leading to each side of the piston, a valve within the casing,

said valve having an inoperative position where it disconnects the suction passage from either of i the other passages and an operative position where it connects the suction passage with one of the other passages, starting and stopping a means exterior of the casing and movable between a stop and start position, means interconnecting the starting and stopping means with 1 said valve and operable upon shifting oi the starting. and'stopping means to a start position 1 to move said valve irom'its inoperative [position to its operative position, mechanism in the casing operative whenv the valve is in its operative position torfmoving the valve to alternately connect the suction passage to one 01' the other passages and'tor moving said valve to its inoperative varying the flow through the suction passage to control the speed of the motor.

10. In a motor of the character described, a casing, a piston operable in the casing, means for latching said piston against movement. a suction passage and separate passages, one leading to each side of the piston, valve mechanism mounted in the casing and having an inoperative position where it disconnects the suction passage from either of the other passages, and means operable to simultaneously move said valve to a position where it will alternately connect said suction passage with the other passages and to release said latching means.

11. In a motor of the character described, a casing, a piston operable in the casing, means for latching said piston against movement, a suction passage and separate passages, one leading to each side or the piston, avalve within the casing, said valve having an inoperative position stopping means exterior of the casing and mov-' able between stop and start positions, means interconnecting the starting and stopping means with said valve and said latching means and operable upon shifting of the starting and stopping means to start position to move said valve from its inoperative position to its opera-' tive position and to release'said latching means, mechanism in the casing operable when the valve is-in its operative position for moving the valve to alternately connect the suction passage to one of the other passages and for moving said valve to its inoperative position when the starting and stopping means is returned to its stop position.

12. In a motor of the character described, a casing, a piston operable in the casing, a suction passage and separate passages, one leadingto each side of the piston, means normally limiting the movement of the valve to a position where it alternately connects the'suction passage with one of the other passages, said last means being adjustable to permit the valve to move to a third position where it disconnects the suction passage from either of said passages, means for restraining the movement of the valve to the third position until the completion of a stroke of the piston, latching means associated'with saidvalve limiting means for restraining the piston against movement when said valve is in said third position.

13. In a motor of the character described, a casing, a piston operable in the casing, a suction passage, and separable passages leading to each side of the piston, valve mechanism within the casing, said valve mechanism normally closing off said suction passage, latching means engageable with the piston when said valve mechanism normally closes off said suction passage, and means exterior of the casing for moving said valve to a position where it will alternately connect the suction passage to the casing on opposite sides of the piston and for releasing said latching means.

14. In a motor of the character described, a casing, a piston within the casing, a suction passage and separate passages, one leading to each side 'of the piston, a valve mounted in the casing, means for operating said valve, a pair of stops for normally limiting the movement of the valve whereby it will alternately connect said suction passage with one of said other passages, and

means for shifting one of said stops whereby said valve operating means'will move said valve to a position where the suction passage is disconnected .from both of said passages.

15. In a motor of the character described, a casing, a piston operable in the casing, a suction passage and separate passages leading to opposite sides of the piston, a valve mounted in the casing, a pair of stops between which said valve is movable, means for moving said valve between said stops whereby the suction passage will be alternately connected with one of said passages, means for shifting one of said stops relative to the other whereby said valve will overthrow and disconnect the suction passage from both of said passages, and means for latching said piston against movement, said latching means being controlled by said shifting stop.

16. In a motor of the character described, a casing, 'a piston operable in the casing, means for latching the piston against movement, a suction passage and separate passagesleading to each side of the piston, avalve for connecting and disconnecting said suction passage from said other passages, means for moving said valve to connector disconnect said suction passage to said other passages, and means operable by said last-named means for releasing said latching means.

17. In a motor of the character described, a casing, a piston operable in the casing, means for, latching said piston against movement, means exterior of the casing for operating said latching means, said latching means including means whereby said piston may be released therefrom when the latching means are in latched position. I

18. In a motor of the character described, a casing, a piston operable in the casing, a valve for starting and stopping theoperation of said motor, means for controlling the speed of said motor, means for latching said piston against movement when the motor is stopped, and means for simultaneously controlling said valve latching means and speed control means.

EDWARD KOPPELMAN. 

